Machine for expanding and swaging tube ends



g- 29}, 1967 L. R. S-"II'EELE ETAL 3,338,082

, MACHINE FOR EXPANDING AND SWAGING TUBE ENDS "Filed April 15, 1965 IQua United States Patent 3,338,082 MACHINE FOR EXPANDING AND SWAGIN GTUBE ENDS Luther R. Steele and George Joseph Persico, Racine, Wis.,

assignors to Walker Manufacturing Company, Racine,

Wis., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 447,731Claims. (Cl. 72-306) Our invention relates to machines for performingoperations on the end of a part such as a tube.

It is an object of the invention to provide a machine that performs aplurality of difierent operations on the end of a tube upon a singleinsertion of the tube into the machine.

It is another object of the invention to provide a machine in whichreciprocating movement of an actuator, such as an hydraulic cylinder, ischanged into radial movement of a plurality of devices for performing aplurality of different forming operations on a tube while it is in thesame position.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an end elevation of the machine taken from the end thatreceives the tube;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the machine; and

FIG. 3 is a cross section, with parts broken away, taken along the line3-3 of FIG. 1.

The machine 1 may be used to perform two operations, such as sizing andexpanding, upon the end of a tube 3. The tube 3 is shown as a laminatedtube of round cross section comprising spaced inner and outer layers 5and 7 which are inserted into the machine so that the outer layer isradially reduced and the inner radially expanded until the two layersare in tight contact and of a desired inner and outer diameter.

The machine 1 has a stationary block or housing 9 which is anchored inplace by bolting or other suitable means to a base such as the table top11. Inside of the housing 9 and fixed to it in stationary position bytransverse locating bars 13 is a longitudinal sleeve 15 which may haveinner and outer bushings 17 and 19 mounted on it. The end of the sleeve15 has a number (at least six) of radial bolts 21 with unthreaded ends23 that fit in radial holes in flanges 25 at the inner ends of sixexpanding collets 27. The collets 27 have flanges 29 locatedlongitudinally outwardly of flanges 25 and these define grooves 31 thatact as collet holders for flanges 33 received therein which are formedon six sizing collets 35. Radial coil springs 37 in holes in flanges 29urge the collets 27 and 35 radially apart and maintain an annularopening 39 to receive the end of the tube 3. It Will be seen that theengagement between the two sets of collets and the attachment of collets27 to sleeve 15 fixes their longitudinal position but radial ortransverse movement of each is permitted.

After a tube has been inserted the first stage in the operation of themachine is sizing or application of radial inward pressure to theoutside of the tube by the collets 35. The collets 35 are forcedradially inwardly by engagement of their tapered outer peripheries 41with the tapered inner surface of a sizing head 43 that is arrived bysizing sleeve 45. The sleeve 45 is attached to and reciprocates with aslide sleeve 47 that slides on the bushing 19 and in bushing 49 insideof block 9. The slide 47 has slots 51 to pass the bars 13 and at its end53 is attached to the outer, annular rod 55 of a double acting or twostage hydraulic cylinder 57. Thus, leftward movement of rod 55 actsthrough the parts described to force the collets 35 radially inwardly.

Fee

The second stage in the operation of the machine is expansion of thetube end by the application of radial outward pressure to it by collets27. These collets are forced radially outwardly by engagement of theirtapered inner peripheries 59 with the periphery of a tapered or conicalbar 61 which is secured by cross pin 63 to slide bar 65 whichreciprocates in bushing 17. The bar 65 is moved by the rod 67 of thehydraulic cylinder 57 which is attached at 69 to the end of the bar.Stop rings 71 threaded on the bar 65 may engage the end of the sleeve 15to limit the stroke of the ram 67. Thus, leftward movement of rod 67acts through the parts described to force the collets 27 radiallyoutwardly to expand the end of the tube against the surfaces presentedby the collets 35 which are themselves held against radial movementoutwardly by the sizing head 43.

Other operations involving use of radial inward or outward forces may beused in place of the size and expand illustrated, for example, notchingand slotting.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for performing at least two operations on the end of a tubecomprising first forming tool means for applying an inward radialpressure to the tube end, second forming tool means for applying anoutward radial pressure to the tube, means for fixing the longitudinalposition of both tool means, longitudinally movable cam means forapplying inward radial force to the first tool means and outward radialforce to the second tool means, and means providing an opening betweenthe first and second tool means to receive the end of a tube.

2. A machine as set forth in claim 1 including means whereby saidlongitudinally movable cam means is sequentially operated to apply forcefirst to one tool means and then to the other.

3. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for fixing thelongitudinal position of said tool means includes radiallyinterconnecting portions of said tool means and a longitudinally fixedmember, one of said tool means being longitudinally aflixed to saidfixed member but being radially movable relative to it.

4. A machine as set forth in claim 3 wherein said first and second toolmeans include slidably interconnecting radial parts to fix the relativelongitudinal positions of the two tool means but provide for relativeradial movement.

5. A machine for performing two operations on the end of a tubecomprising a housing having a fixed position, a first elongated slidemounted in the housing for longitudinal movement, a sleeve inside thefirst slide, means extending through the slide for attaching the sleeveto the housing to fix the longitudinal position of the bar, a secondslide mounted inside the sleeve for longitudinal movement, collet guidemeans attached to the sleeve, a first set of tube forming colletsmounted on the collet guide means for transverse movement but fixedthereby against longitudinal movement, a second set of tube formingcollets mounted on the first set for transverse movement but fixedthereby against longitudinal movement cam means attached to the firstslide engaging and moving one set of collets, and cam means attached tothe second slide engaging and moving the second set of collets.

RICHARD J, HERBST, Primary Examiner. R. D. GREFE, Assistant Examiner.

1. A MACHINE FOR PERFORMING AT LEAST TWO OPERATIONS ON THE END OF A TUBECOMPRISING FIRST FORMING TOOL MEANS FOR APPLYING AN INWARD RADIALPRESSURE TO THE TUNE END, SECOND FORMING TOOL MEANS FOR APPLYING ANOUTWARD RADIAL PRESSURE TO THE TUBE, MEANS FOR FIXING THE LONGITUDINALPOSITION OF BOTH TOOL MEANS, LONGITUDINALLY MOVABLE CAM MEANS FORAPPLYING INWARD RADIAL FORCE TO THE FIRST TOOL MEANS AND OUTWARD RADIALFORCE TO THE SECOND TOOL MEANS, AND MEANS PROVIDING AN OPENING BETWEENTHE FIRST AND SECOND TOOL MEANS TO RECEIVE THE END OF A TUBE.